Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

On this page, you will find our most frequently asked questions. If you don't see your question here, please contact us and we will be more than happy to assist you.

Ordering

Are items in stock?

We keep a large amount of inventory in our main warehouse in California and we also may ship directly from the Manufacturer or their Distributor. We make every effort to keep our inventory as accurate as possible since we know how frustrating it can be to order something and then find out it is not available right away.

There are rare occasions where we have an error in our system or an item has sold out unexpectedly (especially during high volume sales periods). If the item you ordered is out of stock, we will notify you by phone or email immediately. You will be able to place your item on backorder, be provided with alternate products to choose from, or we will issue a full refund to your account. Backorders will ship as soon as they become available.

Do I have to pay Sales Tax?

We only charge sales tax to orders shipped to California. If your shipping address is in Marin County, you will be charged your local sales tax rate based on your zip code. If you are inside California, but outside of Marin County, you will only be charged the base state sales tax of 7.25%.

All prices shown on our website are excluding tax. You will see your final balance during the checkout process. You can also estimate your taxes on the Shopping Cart page.

Do you Price Match?

Yes! Just give us a call at 1-888-994-4832 to discuss. The item must be a new, in-stock item with a price that can be verified from a store operating in the US (a website link will be sufficient). Prices on auction sites such as EBay will not be considered. Clearance items are excluded from our Price Match policy.

What payment methods do you accept?

We accept Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Discover and PayPal. If you are not comfortable placing your order online, please call us at 1-888-994-4832 and we can process your order over the phone. Please NEVER send your credit card details to us by email.

For large team and corporate orders, we may accept payment by check or wire transfer. Please be aware that products will not be shipped until funds have cleared. We reserve the right to assess a $35.00 service charge on returned checks.

Do you store my credit card information?

No! We do not store your credit card details. In fact, we are only able to see the last 4 digits of your card number. We use Authorize.Net or PayPal to process credit card transactions - both are industry leaders and are dedicated to protecting your information.

Do you sell couterfiet products?

Never! We do not support counterfiet products and we are also not a "Grey Market" retailer. We ONLY purchase our products directly from the Manufacturer or their Authorized Distributor in the United States.

Can I cancel my order?

If you need to cancel your order, please contact us as soon as possible. If your order has not yet shipped, we will issue a full refund to your account. If your order has already shipped, you will need to follow the standard return process. Please refer to our Returns & Exchanges page for details.

How do I return my order?

A good fit and your comfort is our top priority. Please try on your merchandise as soon as possible after receiving your order. If for any reason you aren’t satisfied you may return your purchase within 30 days for a full refund or exchange.

***Clearance Items, Customized items, Clearance items, Cordage and Special Orders are not returnable.***

Shipping

How do I qualify for FREE SHIPPING?

We offer FREE SHIPPING on all US orders, including Alaska and Hawaii, and International orders over $500.

Free Shipping on US orders will be sent via either UPS Ground or USPS, depending on the size/weight, shipping origin, and estimated delivery time.

Free Shipping on International orders will be sent via either USPS Priority Mail International or UPS, depending on the size/weight and destination country

US Territories are considered as international for shipping purposes

How long does it take to ship my order?

We aim to ship all orders within 24 hours (excluding weekends and holidays). If there is any delay in shipping your order, we will notify you by phone or email right away. For international orders, please allow up to 3-5 business days to process your order.

Where is my order shipped from?

We keep a large amount of inventory in our main warehouse in California. We may also ship some items directly from the Manufacturers/Distributors. Depending on your location, we may choose to ship your order directly from the Manufacturer/Distributor even if we have that item in stock in our main warehouse. Our ultimate goal is to get your order to you as quickly as possible!

How do I track my order?

You will receive a Shipment Confirmation email once your order has shipped. This email will have the tracking number(s) and method and a link to track your package(s). If you registered for an account, you can also log in to "My Account" and track your shipments from there. Please be sure to check your Junk Email folder and add us as a trusted email address.

My package is damaged. What should I do?

If the outer packaging is damaged when you receive it, please take photos of the package BEFORE you open it. If you open your package and find the items inside broken, please take photos of this BEFORE you remove it from to box. This is necessary for us to make a claim on our shipping insurance. Please contact us right away and we will work with you for a solution. Further shipping information can be found on our Shipping Information page.

International Orders

Do you ship to my country?

Yes! We ship worldwide. Some countries are blocked from our website due to a high level of credit card fraud in certain locations. If you do not see your coutry at checkout, please contact us at 1-888-994-4832 and we can process your order via phone.

Due to the high level of international orders we have received attempting to use stolen credit cards, if we are suspicious of any order, we reserve the right to hold the order until an additional authorization is received from the credit card issuer or request that you pay via wire transfer.

How long does it take to ship my order?

All International orders are shipped from our main warehouse in California. We aim to ship these orders as quickly as possible, however please allow up to 5-7 business days to process your order. International orders are shipped via USPS Priority Mail International or UPS, depending on the size/weight of your order and the destination country. Pricing is estimated based on weight and package size. Delivery time for USPS Priority Mail International is generally 7-10 business days, however please note that this may vary widely depending on your country and Customs clearance times.

Do I have to pay Taxes?

We do not charge sales tax, VAT, or customs duties on your orer. You may be required to pay one or a combination of these depending on your home country's regulations. Please contact your local Customs department to find out if you will be liable for any additional charges.

Sizing

The Team at Whitecaps Marine Outfitters want to make sure that you have the best fitting sailing gear the first time. This is why we have put together a single chart of size guides. Now you can see which size for all brands is the right fit for you.

We also include each brands information separately for your reference.